Raffles for OPERATION WITH LOVE FROM HOME and WOUNDED WARRIOR PROJECT. “Elvis Universe” Oil Painting raffled with proceeds to WOUNDED WARRIOR PROJECT and “White Fireworks” Velvet Painting Awarded to Best Elvis-Themed Outfit.

Charles Likas

Dear friends, come out and have a grand time rockin’ to the sound of Elvis! You’ll meet lovely ladies and debonair dudes, and enjoy our raffles, door prizes, photobooth, bar, shirts, jewelry, easy parking, convenient afternoon schedule – we have it all !!! Perfect for kids from 8 to 98. Don’t miss out – only once a year. In the spacious and air-conditioned Grand Ballroom of the plush Sheraton Sonoma County, bring your family out, see old friends and make new ones!

Elvis was a symbol of the vitality, rebelliousness and good humor of America. President Jimmy Carter

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Did you know…?

“Can’t Help Falling in Love” is set to the melody “Plaisir D’Amour,” an 18th century French love song.

“Love Me Tender” is adapted from the tune of “Aura Lee” (or “Aura Lea”), a sentimental American Civil War ballad; it was published in 1861, and was also sung at the U.S. Military Academy at West Point.

“It’s Now or Never” is adapted from the Italian standard, “‘O Sole Mio”, but the inspiration for it came from the song, “There’s No Tomorrow”, recorded by American singer, Tony Martin, in 1949

Some 200 fans of Elvis Presley celebrated the king of rock ‘n’ roll’s legacy Saturday at the inaugural Napa Valley Elvis Festival.

Lisa James/Register About 200 Elvis Presley fans, including some sporting Elvis-style pompadours, gathered Saturday in Napa for an afternoon of all things Elvis.

The Napa Valley Elvis Festival at the Marriott Hotel & Spa drew a host of lifelong fans, many of whom were teenagers when the “King of Rock and Roll” filmed “Wild in the Country” in St. Helena in 1961.

“I wouldn’t have missed it for the world,” said Nadine Robson, 73, of Napa, after talking with actress Charlotte Stewart, who worked in 1967 for two days with Presley on the movie “Speedway,” in which she appears as a waitress.

As she signed autographs on a photo of Elvis and her shot during the filming of the movie, Stewart said she was a 25-year-old actress when she got the part.

“I was plain speechless,” she said. “I was thrilled to be working with him. But of course, I didn’t want to show that.”

Both Stewart, 72, and Betty Grant, another Napan who met Elvis in Los Angeles in the late 1950s before he entered the U.S. Army, described the music icon fondly to the fans gathered in the hotel’s ballroom.

“He was so sweet. He was such a Southern gentleman,” Stewart said. “I was very impressed with him.”

Grant, who is now 77, was working at a bank in Beverly Hills when she managed to meet Elvis on several occasions in the late 1950s when the star visited Southern California.

“Yes, he was a good kisser,” said Grant, who brought pictures of herself with Elvis taken in 1957.

Festival producer Charles Likas of Tiburon, an Elvis fan since age 12, said he was very happy with Saturday’s turnout, given that it was the inaugural Elvis Festival in Napa.

“I decided to put on the festival myself because I looked around and I realized that nowhere in the region is anybody doing anything of this nature for Elvis,” said Likas, 50, who chose Napa because Presley filmed “Wild in the Country” in the valley. Elvis bashes take place in the South and Midwest, but in Northern California, Likas said, “there is this deafening silence.”

“He’s the biggest star in the world and no one in California does anything for him,” he said. “So I said, ‘You know what, I’m going to put it on.’ And I have limited resources, so I knew it couldn’t be very big or very sophisticated.”

Likas set out to organize the festival last fall with the help of a half-dozen friends. He sent out a “bunch” of emails to “stars,” inviting them to Napa. Priscilla Presley, the singer’s former wife, did not respond. Neither did the others.

“It was pretty challenging,” said Likas, a financial analyst for the federal government. “I’m just a federal employee by day. I’m just a mild-mannered John Q. Public. So there was a big learning curve.”

Likas’ brother, David, volunteered at the festival Saturday, as did his niece, Stephanie. But his mother and father did not. “My parents were too embarrassed to come,” he said, laughing.

“It was a terrific learning experience,” said Likas, referring to the inaugural festival.

“I didn’t lose more than I could afford to lose,” said Likas, who did not disclose his budget. “But no vacations this year.”

Elvis Artist Rob Ely

Meet dancer Betty Grant, the King's girlfriend

Meet musician Ian Fraser-Thomson, seen here talking with Elvis at the International Hotel on Aug 1, '69

Elvis Artist Rob Ely

Author Sue McCasland

ELVIS IN TAHOE

Betty with EP in 1957

Ian Fraser-Thomson and EP, International Hotel, August 1969

Elvis Tribute Artist Michael Bartle

Glorious Gladys

Lovely Linda

Gorgeous Ginger

Precious Priscilla

Awesome Annie

Sugar Shelley

Beautiful Blackman

Darling Dolores

Dynamic Debra

Bewitching Barbara

Luminous Laurel and Stunning Stella

Angelic Andress

Elvis at the Oakland Coliseum, November 10 1970

Elvis at the Oakland Municipal Auditorium, June 3, 1956

Elvis Trivia: this iconic image which graces the front of the Aloha from Hawaii LP is actually from the April 18 1972 San Antonio TX show. [Editor's comment: for Elvis' biggest LP of all time, this is the pic they come up with to put on the cover ???]

Elvis Trivia: this iconic image (below) on this iconic LP was actually taken months before the Garden concerts, at the afternoon show in Jacksonville, FL, April 16, 1972